COMMITTEE ON THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA UNITED STATES SENATE NINETY-FIRST CONGRESS FIRST SESSION ON S. 2936 TO PROVIDE FOR THE COMPENSATION OF PERSONS INJURED DECEMBER 17, 1969 Printed for the use of the Committee on the District of Columbia COMMITTEE ON THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA JOSEPH D. TYDINGS, Maryland, Chairman ALAN BIBLE, Nevada WINSTON L. PROUTY, Vermont JOHN T. MCEVOY, Staff Director (II) WITNESSES Geis, Gilbert, professor, School of Criminal Justice, State University of Keeton, Page, dean, University of Texas Law School_ Mikva, Hon. Abner J., a U.S. Representative from the State of Illinois.. PREPARED STATEMENTS Geis, Gilbert, professor, School of Criminal Justice, State University of Keeton, Page, dean, University of Texas Law School Yarborough, Hon. Ralph W., a U. S. Senator from the State of Texas. APPENDIX Goldberg, Arthur J.: Letter to chairman, December 12, 1969__ Preface to symposium on compensation for victims of violence.. Maryland awards gunshot victim $45,000, Washington Post, February 5, Osgoode Hall Study on Compensation for Victims of Crime, report of the, 113 Schafer, Stephen, professor of sociology and criminology, Northeastern 99 COMPENSATION OF VICTIMS OF CRIME WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1969 U.S. SENATE, COMMITTEE ON THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Washington, D.C. The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:20 a.m., in room 6226, New Senate Office Building, Senator Joseph D. Tydings (chairman) presiding. Present: Senator Tydings. Also present: John T. McEvoy, staff director; David A. Cooper, counsel; James S. Medill, minority counsel; and Edith B. Moore, assistant chief clerk. The CHAIRMAN. Today, the Senate District Committee meets to consider legislation introduced by my distinguished colleague, and championed by him, Senator Ralph Yarborough of Texas, to compensate innocent victims of crime in the National Capital. Senator Ÿarborough has introduced legislation both nationally and in the District of Columbia. We devoted a great percentage of this committee's time during this year to the alarming crime problem and crimes of violence in the Nation's Capital. In fact, we have passed virtually all the legislation the President has requested and a number of measures we originated ourselves. We have already reported out the court reorganization and criminal procedure bills, and a bill to increase the staff of the Bail Agency and the Public Defender Agency-all of these have passed the U.S. Senate and are now pending action by the House of Representatives. This afternoon, we hope to report out a bill to revise the procedures in the juvenile court so that the court can become an effective instrument in the fight against crime. In addition, I hope to have swift action on my bill providing for 30-day pretrial detention of certain dangerous criminal suspects. The bill before us today, while not directly affecting law enforcement, is an important measure or tool in the arsenal for war against crime. It would allow innocent victims of crime to receive compensation for personal injury or death. Although we have devoted substantial criminal justice energies and resources to arrest, conviction, and incarceration of the guilty, there has been too little concern for the innocent victims. In the first 6 months of 1969, in the National Capital, 125 persons were murdered or victims of manslaughter; 150 were the victims of rape; and nearly 7,000 were the victims of robbery or aggravated assault. |